Realio’s Ratings: Moose takes points

A bounce-back game in Dallas was vintage Sounders from previous successful seasons: an early opportunistic finish off of forward pressure, and a shut-down defense to hold on for the win. The final was 1-0, and while Seattle never completely dominated, they looked more likely to score for much of the match. The bending-but-not-breaking effort ceded possession to Dallas, but limited them to few quality opportunities. A win on the road is a great result no matter who, or how, you are playing, and Seattle needed this win for confidence as much as anything. It should allow them some momentum, as they welcome the arrival and re-integration of talented players, and motivate them to charge up the table if they can harness the energy they brought to win this match. 

Best possible take: Seattle ground out a tough road victory via shutout defense and is adding more firepower. Watch out. 

Worst possible take: Scoring a single goal off a deflection and holding on is not awe-inspiring stuff, and the team lost an integral part of their defense to yet another injury. 

Moving forward: The Sounders have underwhelmed most of the season, but the moments are there. If they can string together those quality moments, they’ll start racking up wins.

Goalkeeper

Stefan Frei – 6 | Community – 6.0

Frei didn’t concede any goals, likely due to only needing to make a single save. His positioning and coordination with the rest of the defense held up against a fairly anemic Dallas attack that lost their main scorer midway through the match. The second half was particularly stout outside of a last minute attempt that nearly cost Seattle two points. 

Best possible take: Shutout Frei is back, silencing the haters with a zero goals against performance. At the end of the day, the opponent didn’t score, and that’s the most important takeaway. Stefan even came off his line in the 64th minute and was outside the box in the 76th to clear as he heard the criticism. 

Worst possible take: Everything good in the back was due to fantastic defense, including goal-bound blocks. Yet Dallas still almost managed to score what would have been yet another heartbreaking late equalizer, as Frei seemed glued to his line most of the match.

Moving forward: Dreaming of a different player is fine, but starting Frei means understanding that he doesn’t come off his line much and working around that. Hard to argue with a road shutout, no matter the competition. 

Defense

Nouhou – 6 | Community – 6.6

Nouhou again was solid in his left centerback/wide position; he showcased his great range from this position that seems to fit his skill set well. Excellent 79th minute defense and a crucial 91st minute block ensured that Seattle would keep all three points. 

Best possible take: The most important adjustment this formation creates is unlocking Nouhou and Yeimar to dominate large swaths of area and push numbers forward as a consequence. These two shut down areas that allow Seattle to get more attack. 

Worst possible take: Supposedly a center back, Nouhou still tries to overlap and get up the field in silly moments, like a pointless 78th minute shot. 

Moving forward: Nouhou has been impressive this year and creates the space for someone exciting to play in front of him. 

Jackson Ragen – 5 | Community – 5.6 (off 46’ for Kim Kee-hee)

Ragen got a chance to redeem himself from last week and largely did that, having a nondescript defensive outing before injuring himself and subbing out at halftime. He had 90 percent passing before the injury. 

Best possible take: Seattle scored while Ragen was on the field, and his key pass in 45 minutes of work further showcased how essential Jackson is to both the defense and the offensive field-stretching and vision. 

Worst possible take: Seattle upgraded at halftime by playing someone mobile in the center, removing the need for midfielders to constantly cover the immobile battleship in the back. The new look gave the Sounders improved spacing and less reliance on the back line to create.

Moving forward: Losing Ragen for any large amount of time is a net negative, as his distribution has been one way Seattle creates incremental advantages throughout a match in 2025. If they adjust and can fill his role, it might create an even bigger advantage when he returns. 

Yeimar – 6 | Community – 6.6

Yeimar was again a big defensive presence, allowing the Sounders to accept pressure without conceding many big chances. This meant a massive 11 clearances defensively, as Dallas wasn’t creating enough and Yeimar’s no-nonsense defense played well to the positive game state. 

Best possible take: Yeimar has been one of the best defenders in the league again this year, ranging across the whole field (like excellent left side defense in the 12th minute), and it’s his improved passing and pressure on the right that creates most of the offensive success. 

Worst possible take: The lack of passing control from the right means that while Yeimar can press the side, he often ends up crowding spaces without the movement or service to alleviate the pressure when turned over, which results in counter attacks down that wing. 

Moving forward: Yeimar and Nouhou are terrific in their roles, but both have been prone to leaving Ragen with more than he can handle. The vision is there. 

Midfield

Paul Rothrock – 5 | Community – 5.9 (off 88’ for Minoungou)

Paul Rothrock started and again looked frustrated. His technical deficiencies were on display, but so was his effort and determination, albeit again with little to show for it. He didn’t do much on either end, but did create two key passes via a number of diagonal passes. 

Best possible take: Seattle needs emotional effort, and no one brings this more than Paul on most days. All the little pressure that he provides constantly adds up, forcing mistakes and creating intensity that the Sounders have been lacking. Irritating defenses is a craft that Rothrock has perfected.

Worst possible take: The Sounders left is where attacks go to die, as Paul was ineffective on his wing, with two blocked shots and 72 percent passing part of a struggle out wide. The finished product isn’t there, with him getting into a good spot then missing the key pass or fumbling possession to kill the few moments that he gets. 

Moving forward: Perhaps moving back to a super-sub role will help Rothrock shine, and any influx of talent to combine with will likely help him recover some of last season’s form. He adds elements that are subsidiary, not essential. 

Cristian Roldan – 7 | Community – 6.4

Seattle scored early and conceded a lot of possession, and it worked to grind out a match. Much of that was due to work in the defensive midfield. With 91 percent passing, a shot forcing a big save in the 46th minute, four clearances, two interceptions, and eight recoveries, this was a well-rounded outing for Roldan. 

Best possible take: A prime Roldan performance meant Dallas created almost nothing offensively while Cristian was releasing teammates and finding goal-direct play. He controlled the middle, covering across the back and allowing others to push into the attack. 

Worst possible take: In the 5th minute, Cristian lost the ball in a bad place, and it seems like when he makes a mistake it is magnified. 

Moving forward: Roldan had the most progressive passes received in the first half, and the most attempted in the second, showing understanding of the game state and team needs. Seattle likely goes as far as Cristian can take them. No one else seems as capable in the role of defending centrally while finding some (hopefully) improved offensive pieces in transition. 

Obed Vargas – 7 | Community – 6.5

Obed struggled in the first half before improving midway through the match and growing into the game. He ended with 80 percent passing, two shots, and an impressive five tackles as he was a defensive presence in front of Cristian Roldan, creating a number of transition moments as Seattle conceded possession more than usual after they scored. 

Best possible take: Obed quietly did all the little things right, with great control and an ability to consistently find clean passes that stats aggregator sites love. When he does find an opening, he creates big chances off connections and the rare shot, such as his 18th minute strike and 59th shot that was denied by the post. 

Worst possible take: Terrible 2nd and 39th minute passes had absolute disaster written on them, and Seattle was lucky Dallas didn’t do anything substantial with either turnover. Vargas needed Roldan to sweep behind him and clean up his messes, he didn’t have the recovery speed when he was beaten, and the Sounders need more offense from Obed if he’s going to play as a “10.” 

Moving forward: If the defense can keep better cohesion, Obed has an opportunity to combine with the attacking players and be a key element of a Sounders offense. They could use another player with creativity both off the dribble and direct on goal. 

Kalani Kossa-Rienzi – 5 | Community – 5.4 (off 74’ for Baker)

With Alex Roldan out injured, recently signed Kossa-Rienzi earned another start and was up and down on the afternoon. He did create a shot, but his defense left a lot to be desired, and the Sounders’ asymmetrical formation and movement of the people in front of him often left KKR a bit lost. 

Best possible take: Seattle needed vertical push from the wingbacks, and KKR offers a straight wide version of that. His movement in the 13th minute saw him once again get into the box to cross and create a moment, something the Sounders needed from their width. 

Worst possible take: Calling Kalani a defensive player is generous, as he was beaten often, requiring consistent cover from Yeimar. KKR’s poor defense resulted in a number of bad fouls as he was beaten when diving in multiple times, including in minutes 39, 62, and 68. 

Moving forward: To be successful, Kossa-Rienzi has to minimize the defensive errors and add push going forward. He is good at one or the other at a time, but he must be able to do both. 

Attacking Midfield

Jesús Ferreira – 6 | Community – 5.9

Ferreira got a chance to play centrally and looked quietly impressive. The numbers backed this up: team-high three key passes, two shots of his own, and five defensive actions, while not being dispossessed a single time. A fulcrum role fit his controlled play, and Jesús ranged from side to side to combine with teammates without penetrating the box much. 

Best possible take: The guy who stirred the drink for Seattle, Jesús’ ability to combine all across the middle gave Seattle a Rusnák-type control player who was available to support where needed. He pushed forward and set in teammates (like PDLV in the 2nd minute) but also understood the defensive need, like defending back in the 83rd minute to help see out the win. 

Worst possible take: If you ask someone to be a fulcrum of the team, he has to want the ball, and 37 total touches was only two more than PDLV had in a half. He has to be more assertive, and not only in possession: he had an open shot in the 84th and failed to pull the trigger. 

Moving forward: Jesús has yet to shine, but has also yet to be featured with a full complement of pieces around him. Hypothetically, he should mesh well with the added speed incoming.

Pedro de la Vega – 6 | Community – 6.9 (MOTM) (off 46’ for Leyva)

Pedro returned to the starting lineup and was very goal dangerous in his half of play, leading the team with three shots. One of them, a 17th minute rocket, deflected into the path of an alert Danny Musovski and ended as the game-winning goal. This ability to thrust the attack forward supported the defensive effort, and while he only had 69 percent passing, PDLV was a constant vertical push mechanism. 

Best possible take: Pedro is back and almost fully healthy, already showing the elite creativity Seattle desperately needs. He can single-handedly unlock defenses and create in ways that will snowball the Sounders offense to elite. The audacity to shoot early and often was contagious in a good way. Dude tries shit. 

Worst possible take: For all his dribbling and touch, he isn’t connecting with teammates at all. He had three shots and was lucky one deflected to a good spot, but zero key passes from a playmaker shows he isn’t the team player we need yet. 

Moving forward: Seattle looked immediately better going forward, and Pedro’s ability to be goal-direct was missing from the wing in his absence. Adding a more dynamic forward and left wing has the potential to finally surround him with the talent to shine. 

Forward

Danny Musovski – 7 (MOTM) | Community – 6.5 (off 73’ for Baker-Whiting)

Moose started and continued to do exactly what he has done all year, except with better results this match. He made smart, cohesive movement with his teammates, opportunistic poaching when it presented itself, and gave his full effort across the middle. He scored the only goal of the match, and had another disallowed. Both resulted from reading the game perfectly and finishing clean. 

Best possible take: Having a direct forward playing as a true “9” makes so much difference for the spacing of not only the wide players, but guys like Obed and Cristian who combined their movement better in conjunction with Musovski. 

Worst possible take: Seattle’s offense has been creating a large number of chances and most of them have fallen to Musovski. It’s great that he finally finished one (on an open net, no less) but frustrating that it was his only recorded shot in the match. 

Moving forward: Danny continues to do what he was brought in to do, and has produced about as expected. Sure, it would be great for him to finish all of his chances and even better if he was creating more, but he remains a quality backup to the higher priced players. 

Substitutes

Kim Kee-hee – 6 | Community – 6.2 (on 46’ for Ragen)

Kim Kee-hee saw his first time in his second Sounders stint, and he didn’t miss a beat. Subbing in at halftime for the injured Ragen, KKH was good. He didn’t put a foot defensively wrong in a shutout that saw Seattle’s defense only concede three total shots. He had a miserable 64 percent passing clip. 

Best possible take: KKH is better, right now, than Ragen, and he should start. Playing a wider but less vertical position, Kim was part of a lockdown defensive state in the second half that almost completely suffocated Dallas. 

Worst possible take: Being able to slot into a Schmetzer defense is a skill that Kim has, but the gamestate helped him not have to do too much. He didn’t make any vertical or progressive passes, and in the future we will have to see what KKH can provide, as Seattle relies on Ragen for that kind of creative distribution. 

Moving forward: Kim may be a fantastic backup option, as Seattle has once again found a defensive player who seamlessly fits the system. 

Danny Levya – 6 | Community – 6.0 (on 46’ for de la Vega)

Leyva entered and again jumped right into the attack, creating vertical thrust and displaying excellent creation and vision. He continues to join the team, lead them in shot creating actions, and provide a boost off the bench. 

Best possible take: Six passes into the final third, two accurate crosses, solid set pieces, leading the team with three chances created. Danny was again the creative force for Seattle. He added four defensive actions as well and did just about everything the team needed. 

Worst possible take: Danny creates a lot of “expected assists” but has yet to create an “actual assist,” so unless we are able to convert the former into the latter, it is just a metric to show potential yet to be realized. Another lunging yellow card exposed his defense again.

Moving forward: It may be unrealistic to think he can push aside all the players in front of him for the role, but it’s clear that Danny has earned the opportunity to play as a trusted depth piece. 

Reed Baker-Whiting – 5 | Community – 5.5 (on 73’ for Musovski)

Reed is returning to fitness and saw his second appearance with Seattle in 2025. He improved, adding a number of nice moments and composure as the Sounders got the road win. Not just seeing out the win, RBW had an 86th minute header that went off the bottom of the crossbar and nearly in. 

Best possible take: Baker-Whiting showed some of the best wide play from the left since Paul Arriola was hurt, starting with a fantastic cross in the 84th that created the space needed for Seattle to muster a big chance. This vision and ability to cross with either foot is tremendous. 

Worst possible take: With a little offensive success came a mixed bag of defensive work. Importantly, he was dribbled around in the 87th and lost an important duel moments later. Reed looked lost on positioning, especially defensively late. 

Moving forward: Reed showed a glimpse of the cultured offensive creativity that fits well into a wingback role on this team. If he could harness that and avoid injury, there is space for that skillset in this roster. 

Cody Baker – 5 | Community – 5.6 (on 74’ for Kossa-Rienzi)

Cody Baker surprisingly found his first time in 2025 on the road in a close match at right wingback. He did well, eating time and helping close down the match. He defended an 84th minute corner well, and had a calm header back to Frei in the 89th. 

Best possible take: Cody wasn't beaten defensively a single time, had 6/7 passing, added two recoveries, won his tackle opportunity, and had a header clearance. He showed a cultured defensive cohesiveness that Seattle needed. 

Worst possible take: Baker wasn’t asked to do much, and didn’t. He played very narrowly, hugging the right wing, and had a number of chances to push the ball into more fortuitous areas forward and wasn’t able to make the more complicated play. 

Moving forward: Adding Cody to a suddenly deep bench is a luxury, and if he can be relied on to give this sort of solid defensive effort, may be a nice option in similar game states. 

Georgi Minoungou – 5 | Community – 5.3 (on 88’ for Rothrock)

Minoungou came on late as Seattle withstood some late Dallas pressure. He only played two official minutes but had six touches and earned a clearance as Seattle held on. 

Best possible take: The best defense is a good offense, and finding Georgi’s big body and pace on the right helped alleviate some pressure. He smartly earned a late foul to keep possession.

Worst possible take: The best defense is a good defense, and Minoungou didn’t do much of that, turning the ball over in the 90th and 93rd, offering the ball right back to Dallas. 

Moving forward: Isolated wide, Georgi can help in buildup, but he still seems lost when trying to do more than that. 

Referee

Filip Dujic – 5 | Community – 5.1

There was a lot to like about this refereeing job, and plenty to improve on. Showing a yellow in the first 10 minutes was a good start, but there were a few rough fouls uncalled and flops given as the game devolved into a physical and cynical affair. Seattle was called for 20 fouls. 

Best possible take: A yellow card was given for dissent! Be still my heart. 

Worst possible take: VAR not looking at the 59th minute Musovski goal and recommending a review was brutal. Not only did it look worth the review, play was quickly restarted with nary a thought. The implication of a two-goal lead at that point was massive, and the offside call deserved another look. 

Moving forward: A physical match met a ref interested in being part of the show. That isn’t usually a good mix for Seattle, but it’s likely that the refereeing won’t be remembered long. 

FC Dallas MOTM

Maarten Paes was out there in this one, being a soccer man. He saved three of four shots, but seemed to spend most of his time doing screaming at his teammates for not closing down Seattle’s shooters with more ferocity. His diving save of a Cristian Roldan effort just before half was probably his most inspired piece of work. He’ll be bummed that the only goal he conceded came after a decent save, but the scoreline seemed a fair reflection of the match.

Upcoming: Back home against a very solid Nashville team. This will be an important test to see whether we’ll get the best or the worst of the Sounders going forward.